CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL - 2015 POCKET GUIDE - ( Welcome ( There is very much a sense of “out with the old, in with the new” surrounding this year’s Cheltenham Festival. Last year purists were purring over the possibility that the astonishing Hurricane Fly could land his third Champion Hurdle and whether a Paul Nicholls training masterclass could get Big Buck’s over the line for a fifth World Hurdle win. In the end, both horses fell on their sword as a new breed of younger charges put them in their place. Those brave defeats, combined with the retirement of the fantastic mare Quevega ─ a month after Willie Mullins’ other hurdling superstar made Festival history ─ has left the door open for a fresh wave of beasts to etch their names into the Cheltenham history books. Hurricane Fly may be back for more, and three further top-level wins since last March prove there’s life in the 11-year-old yet, but it’s stablemate Faugheen who is expected to take home the honour of the two-mile hurdling king. By around 4.15pm on Tuesday Mullins could have recorded a Grade One four-timer (and ruined us bookmakers!) if hotpots Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Annie Power also do the business. Wednesday promises an intriguing Champion Chase with the last two winners, Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre, both beset by injuries in recent times, set to face the rapidly improving Nicholls duo of Dodging Bullets and Mr Mole. And on Friday, the sport’s greatest ever jockey AP McCoy will have his last rides at Cheltenham after 20 years at the top. Racing has a way of writing its own fairytales and McCoy bowing out with a third Gold Cup aboard Carlingford Lough would bring the house down. If you are visiting Cheltenham make sure you come and find us at Pitch 3 in Tattersalls and, wherever you are, enjoy the finest four days of racing in the calendar. The Schedule - Tuesday 10th March - Time Race Distance D 1.30 The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race 2m ½f T 2 2.05 The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase 2m T 3 2.40 The Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Steeple Chase 3m ½f T 2 3.20 The Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy 2m ½f T 3 4.00 The OLBG Mares’ Hurdle Race 2m 4f T 2 4.40 The Toby Balding National Hunt Steeple Chase 4m T 3 5.15 The Rewards4Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase 2m 4½f T 1 - Wednesday 11th March - Time Race Distance D 1.30 The Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle Race 2m 5f T 2 2.05 The RSA Steeple Chase 3m ½f T 2 2.40 The Coral Cup Hurdle 2m 5f T 3 3.20 The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase 2m T 3 4.00 The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase 3m 7f T 3 4.40 The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race 2m ½f T 2 5.15 The Weatherbys Champion Bumper 2m ½f T - Thursday 12th March - D Time Race Distance T 2 1.30 The JLT Novices’ Chase 2m 4f T 2 2.05 The Pertemps Network Final 3m T 3 2.40 The Ryanair Steeple Chase 2m 5f T 2 3.20 The Ladbrokes World Hurdle Race 3m T 2 4.00 The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate 2m 4f T 4 4.40 The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase 3m1½ f T 2 5.15 The St Patrick’s Derby 1m 5f - Friday 13th March - D Time Race Distance T 2 1.30 The JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m 1f T 3 2.05 The Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle Race 2m 1f T 2 2.40 The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race 3m T 2 3.20 The Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase 3m 2½ f T 3 4.00 The Foxhunter Steeple Chase Challenge Cup 3m 2½ f T 2 4.40 The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race 2m 4½ f T 2 5.15 The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Steeple Chase Challenge Cup 2m ½ f The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race Vautour becomes one of the most impressive ever winners of the Supreme last year - Stat Attack - Winner’s Age 5, 5, 6, 7, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5 Winner’s SP 20/1, 6/1, 40/1, 17/2, 12/1, 12/1, 10/1, 10/1 5/1, 7/2JF Fate of Favourite 13th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd (jf), 5th, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 2nd, 1st Winning Distance 6, nk, 3, 2, nk, hd, 2, 1 ¼, ½, 6 Previous run 1st, 3rd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st (Last 10 renewals with most recent results on right and in bold) - Key Trends - Last year’s winner Vautour was the first favourite to win this since Brave Inca in 2004 Captain Cee Bee (aged 7) is the only horse older than 6 to have won in the last 12 years 18 of the last 20 winners won their prep race TIME 1.30pm Tuesday DISTANCE 2m ½f 10th March - Leading Contender - Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh and Rich Ricci have proved to be an irresistible combination in the Festival opener for the past two years and DOUVAN is fancied to follow in the hoofprints of Vautour and Champagne Fever. Although the form of his wins perhaps isn’t as strong as main market rival L’Ami Serge, it’s been the manner of his victories which has really impressed. A day full of Irish bankers can start with a bang. Nts... The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase Western Warhorse (light blue silks, jumping fence) causes a huge upset - Stat Attack - Winner’s Age 7, 5, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 6, 7, 6 Winner’s SP 7/1, 15/2, 7/2, 6/1, 8/1, 6/1, 6/1, 8/11f, 8/15f, 33/1 Fate of Favourite 7th, 7th, 2nd, 3rd, Fell, 8th, 4th, 1st, 1st, 2nd Winning Distance 1, 1 ¼, 5, 13, Shd, ¾, 2 ¾, 7, 2¼, hd Previous run 3rd, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st (Last 10 renewals with most recent results on right and in bold) - Key Trends - 2014 winner Western Warhorse (33/1) was the first horse since 1999 to win this at odds of greater than 8/1 7 of the last 10 winners won last time out and only one winner in that time had finished worse than second on their previous start Since 2003 only one horse older than 7 has taken the prize TIME 2.05pm Tuesday DISTANCE 2m 10th March - Leading Contender - Some horses have the star quality that sends a tingle down your spine when they run and UN DE SCEAUX is undoubtedly one of them. Willie Mullins wisely sidestepped the Festival 12 months ago with his unbeaten hurdler and that decision can pay huge dividends in the Arkle. The way Un De Sceaux brushed aside Clarcam and Gilgamboa at Leopardstown was breathtaking and as long as he stays on his feet, he will surely have too much for the likes of Vibrato Valtat and Josses Hill. Nts... The Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy Jezki (left) gets the better of fellow JP McManus hurdler My Tent Or Yours - Stat Attack - Winner’s Age 8, 8, 7, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 6 Winner’s SP 7/2jf, 7/4f, 16/1, 10/1, 22/1, 9/1, 11/4f, 11/1, 13/8f, 9/1 Fate of Favourite 2nd, 1st, 1st, 6th, 14th, 3rd, 10th, 1st, 1st, 4th Winning Distance 5, nk, 1, 3, 1, nk, 3 ½, 1 ¼, 2 ¾, nk Previous run 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 4th (Last 10 renewals with most recent results on right and in bold) - Key Trends - 25 of the last 31 winners won their prep race Ireland have won 3 of the last 4 runnings and have 4 of the top 5 in the market Hurricane Fly will bid to become the first horse to regain the Champion Hurdle twice and only the third 11-year-old in history to win it TIME 3.20pm Tuesday DISTANCE 2m ½f 10th March - Leading Contender - The ammunition Willie Mullins has at his disposal is absolutely frightening and without wanting to come across as boring, it is very difficult to see past FAUGHEEN in the Champion Hurdle. The New One and Jezki are both respected, but last year’s Neptune winner is eight from eight under rules and there is no telling how good he might be. Dual winner Hurricane Fly is a wonderful racehorse, but only two 11-year-olds have been successful in 84 runnings. Nts... PiCK ME! PiCK ME! In a competitive field, some bookmakers will do anything to grab you. But what’s so attractive about farcical prices to minimum stakes? At Star Sports what you see is what you get, be it the prices we advertise to the understated manner in which we lay a bet. Isn’t it time you fell back in love with the game? For an exclusive betting experience call 08000 521 321 or visit starsportsbet.co.uk Key Trends Tuesday (Remainder of Day One) 10th March 2.40pm Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Steeple Chase • Only 2 horses since 1999 have shouldered more than 11st to victory • This is a graveyard race for favourites – only 2 have won since 1977 4.00pm OLBG Mares Hurdle (for the David Nicholson Trophy) • Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh have won the last 6 runnings of this with Quevega • No trainer/jockey combination has won the same race at the Cheltenham Festival 7 successive times 4.40pm The Toby Balding National Hunt Steeple Chase • Jonjo O’Neill has won this a record 5 times • Only one winner since 1998 has been aged older than 9 5.15pm The Rewards4Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase • No trainer or jockey has won this more than once • 8 of the 10 runnings have been won by a 6 or 7 year old Nts..